Point + Shoot : Chase The Sun

The boys, the park, the footy,  the sunshine - the simple pleasures.

Aaaahhhh.

In the interest of keeping our colds to ourselves, we... well, kept our colds to ourselves this weekend.

Once I got past my reluctance to let people down and my aversion to cancelling anything if I can avoid it,

 it was a good feeling being commitment free.

The result was some lovely, quality family time, a few beautiful doses of vitamin D and hopefully enough down time to bore the bugs away.

If I'm not careful, this 'yes' woman might just become accustomed to the slower pace around here.

Linking with Lou's Point + Shoot.

How was your weekend?

Headless chook or more semi-comatose chicken?

Shar :-)

Grateful For...Inflation!

Uuuhh no. Not the economic kind.

I let myself get a tad flat earlier in the week.
(Or was it last week? It's all a blur!!)

Emotionally, physically, motivationally...
I let the air escape outta me and was getting a bit stabby up in my head, to be brutally honest.

I don't wear disengaged apathy very well.
(Does anyone?  The emo look is hardly flattering.)
To the point where people remark how dreadful I look!!

But, the last couple of days the fog has lifted a bit.
I'm less snotty, less snooty and less snippy.

I've found some energy, immunity (and tolerance) reserves to draw on.
I've been pumped back up and feel reinvigorated.

Up, up and awaaay.

So I'm grateful for bouncing back.
For reclaiming my usual perspective to again appreciate the wonderful, generous folk I'm surrounded by.

To fully, consciously enjoy my family in each moment.
To delight in having my cousin stay with us.
To think to stop and tell my beautiful colleague(s) how much her(their) kindness is appreciated.
To value some incredible friends.
To smile at strangers.
To admire the beauty around me.
To sit back amidst 64 excited kids on excursion and soak up their enthusiasm.
To joke and laugh and just let. it. go.

It's good to be back!!

What are you grateful for leading into this weekend?
Come link with Maxabella @ Village Voices.

I hope it's a beautiful couple of days wherever you are.

Shar :-)

Love Is...

Love Is...
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.
1 Corinthians 13 v 4 - 5

As we've heard at many a wedding, love is so many honourable and admirable things.

Is it possible then, that our beautiful ENT specialist is love personified?

Today, Love Is Also...
Love is finding an appointment where one (apparently) did not exist.
Love is speaking gently and with compassion.
Love is engaging with the whole family as real people and remembering the little details.

Love is being a miracle-performing professor but instead using the title 'Mr'.
Love is a camera up my (ridiculously compliant) little boy's nose.
Love is an MRI waiting list months long, reduced to one week.
Love is reassuring a Mum that you can be trusted and relied upon.
1 Shar 13 v 1-7

I may well be infatuated by relief or the shortcut to that MRI next week, but I swear there were little birds flying around that man's sweet head this afternoon.

Thank you for your support, encouragement (and patience) as I sweat this issue a little here at the moment.
I know it's boring and repetitive - but it's where I am right now.
I also know Magoo will be just fine - I just look forward to having that confirmed next week.
I also, also know that I am fortunate to be surrounded by such beautiful, incredibly kind people - in person and over here. Blessed.
I also, also, also know that taking choccies into the clinic staff is a very good idea! :-)

Shar :-)

52 Week Project : Wk 36

I did consider posting this selfie this week...

but thought that might be disrespectful to elephants everywhere.

Take 2...

Happy days.

I'm super aware that this is as comfortable as parenting gets.

(In practical terms anyhow. I'm going to pretend for a moment that I'm not worried out of my mind about his little 'health situation'.)

 

A beautiful boy happily leading me around one of my favourite places - the zoo.

A beautiful bump that (at this point in time) is giving me no grief and more than willing to follow Magoo's lead.

A full night's sleep under my belly belt.

Plus a hands-free-to-actually-drink-it hot chocolate to boot.

This caper ain't going to last.

(If every second person I've encountered over the past three years is to be believed, anyway!)

So, I'm determined to enjoy it while I can.

Fast forward a year and this gorgeous boy will be at kindy four days a week.

I'm assuming I'll have to get him there, right?!

Preferably bathed, fed, dressed appropriately, on time and with adequate nutrition for the day.

The fuss-free bump will be my baby girl - who, no doubt, won't be into letting Mummy savour hot drinks and wander aimlessly through lush gardens.

Try as I might.

I look forward to what is ahead for my little family, but I'm also conscious of savouring this time too.

A cold has rendered me pretty anti-social for the last couple of days and I have relished in soaking up one on one time with my Magoo.

This week aside, we've spent lots of 'us' time together in the last few months pottering, exploring, visiting, playing tourists and hanging out in coffee shops.

I know I'll look back on this time with him so fondly and am determined to drink it in.

Linking with gorgeous Fi and her 52 Week Project.

Shar :-)

How Far Is Too Far??

Asking most parents just how far they would go for their child/ren is akin to asking the age old
'how long is a piece of string?'
'To infinity and beyond' doesn't even begin to cover it,  Buzz.


Unfortunately, in my line of work, I've seen occasions where that all-consuming fierce urge to protect one's child can move into the unhealthy zone.
When that beautiful, unrivalled love can make a parent completely lose perspective and reason.

When, unfortunately, intense emotions can result in actions that are actually to the detriment of a child's well being, socialisation, education or resilience.
I think most teachers vow that they never want to be 'that' parent, cross 'that' line.
But it's such a faint line.

When it comes to my son's health, my instincts go into overdrive.
I'm not phased by teeth, colds, coughs and tummy bugs etc. etc. etc.
They're just a part of childhood  - and life.
 But, when there's something ' just not right' - those flashing red lights take root in my mind.
I cannot be complacent, easygoing or patient.
I won't just 'wait and see' or 'try not to think about it'.


I behave differently than the person I am.
This woman who would rather wait ten minutes than speak up, who isn't confident enough to change lanes in the supermarket queue or on the freeway if it might disturb someone, who can't be assertive in social situations, who avoids conflict like the plague - she morphs into someone else. 

A Mama.
A Mama who won't take a seat and shooosh.
A Mama who will try every avenue and resource available.
A Mama who will keep going until she's heard and her son is seen/treated.


Occasionally, I feel a twang of something - maybe guilt or self consciousness - about how pro-active I am in, proverbially, pushing every door until one opens.
However, past experiences have shown me that there's no shame in advocating and fighting for your child's health.
Unfortunately, it's almost necessary.
What's a bit of my dignity  - if it saves my child(ren) pain or trauma or worse?

Someone in the health system recently commented that, sadly, it's those who shout the loudest that get the attention we all deserve.
It's my responsibility to get a little shouty (not literally if I can help it!) on behalf of my child then, isn't it?


I read in Saturday morning's paper of a woman who neglected her bub's health so badly that a perfectly healthy child is now blind, quadriplegic and suffering seizures.
Her only explanation is that she was "too lazy" to seek treatment for her child.


I may be like a bull at a (specialists office) gate sometimes, but no matter what, my children (and Hubby) will know that I leave nothing to chance and that I am far from "lazy" in my care for them.


So, how far is too far to go for your kids?


Shar :-)

Point + Shoot : Cheer Squad



Sunday : 9.00am

Another weekend is leaving us in it's wake.

Parties, movies, weekend papers, newborns, dinners, races, snoozing,

nursery makeovers, footy and a truckload of washing

 are waving a-bye-bye.

This pic was taken on Sunday at the inaugural half marathon event

organised and run by my running club on our home turf.

Cheering for the runners from the sidelines was every bit as satisfying

as it would have been if I had been sweating it out on that course.

LIE! :-)

It was a ton of fun.

However, for the first time in a few months I did truly miss the endorphins, the nerves,

 the camaraderie, the exertion, the lycra legs.

There's a lot to be said for living vicariously though

- particularly through my speedster sister in law who absolutely blitzed

to win the women's event in an amazing time.

Something I couldn't manage even in my wildest dreams.

Instead of pounding that pavement, I got to spend precious time with my nephews and Magoo.

So I guess I won too.

Plus, I can still walk (waddle) fairly comfortably tonight.

Hope you have had a winning weekend.

Pointing + Shooting with gorgeous Lou.

Shar :-)

Grateful For... Little Pleasures

I've failed the patience test this week.
Dismally.

 

Almost as pitifully as some of the efforts I've seen in NAPLAN in the past few days.
Poor little sweethearts.

 

So, to distract myself, I've been delighting in simple, everyday pleasures that can put a smile on this dial...

• a dry bed each morning (and I don't just mean mine)
• dinners eaten without a word of whinging or negotiation (and I don't just mean Hubby!)
• hot chocolate with extra marshmallows
• smiles that melt my heart
• snuggles
• a cosy Winter doona
• a trashy magazine and that sweet spot on the couch
• clean floors - even when oh-so-fleeting!!
• the sun on my shoulders
• a spot of baby girl inspired retail therapy
• newborns joining the fold
• a pantry Tupperware-over
• kids and their gorgeous ways
• a certain little boy in his dressing gown
• sweet 'i love you's
• ugg boots at the end of the day
• gorgeous nephew cuddles
• fresh flowers
•  'easy' friendships that just are (and I don't mean the promiscuous types!)
• movies so wrong, they're hilarious...

Then there's the not so simple, not so everyday stuff.
The smack me down with a feather kindness of people willing to go out of their way for me -  at least three times in the last couple of days, if you don't mind!
It's enough to make a girl wanna bawl!!

Grateful for turning my week around - in the little and the big ways.

Happy weekend.


Shar :-)